One traditional knife to travel

Rsmith_77

Rsmith_77

Joined
Jun 4, 2010
Messages
4,176
Just a hypothetical

J jackknife once told us a story about travelling cross country and back with only one knife. I believe his knife of choice was a case sodbuster junior
And in his decision he wanted something large enough for food chores and camping duties while simultaneously small enough to carry comfortably and innocuous enough to not scare people if seen or noticed.

And I think this makes for a much better mental exercise than the ...you can only have one knife which is silly and unrealistic.

But ...what is more realistic is ...you gonna backpack across Europe or Asia or hike the Appalachian trail
You might take your motorcycle cross country and back

Weight and bulk is gonna be an issue so you have to choose your gear with some forethought.

So what knife would you choose? And why?
 
jc57 said:
Vic Alox Pioneer or Pioneer X. Easy one.

I am not gonna be backpacking anywhere unless my car breaks down AND there is no cell reception. When I travel across country, it is in an airplane, and a Vic Pioneer is in checked luggage.
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Lol ...not exactly the scenario I was envisioning but I suppose it's not a bad choice for ... unexpected adventures :p
 
Oof, too many to choose from. Depending on my mood upon my departure I could foreseeably end up carrying any of the following and being content enough:

- Schrade 8OT
- Schrade 89OT
- Buck 301
- Vic Alox Farmer (really a Pioneer + Saw)
- Buck 110 or 112 (although I'd prefer the Slim Pro version)
- GEC #74
- GEC #81 Abilene
- GEC #82 Dixie
- GEC #23L
- Opinel #7 or #8 (but if the new version, then modified so the locking ring spins both directions)

If fixed then probably a Buck 119 or 192, or perhaps a Mora Classic or a Russel Green River Hunting/Fishing knife.
 
One of my current favorite roadtrip/travel knives is my Beer & Sausage knife. Good useful blade, nice compact package that doesn't scare anyone, the fork comes in super handy when eating on the road or staying places that you may end up without utensils, the bottle opener has come in handy for some hotel room drinking, and I actually use the comb a lot just to fix my hair if I've been out hiking or swimming or something and it looks like crap but I'm going directly to dinner or to meet someone after.

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If there is going to be any sort of outdoor activities on this cross country trip.... ye olde drop point hunter is my choice. Small enough for normal pocket knife tasks yet heavy enough to hammer through a log.
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If it's just a nice family car trip... anything will do. Probably grab one of the stockman knives I've been enjoying recently.
 
Well, I'm a seasoned backpacker who has packed through secontions of the AT, NCT, CDT, and the PCT. I've been all over the US and have spent much of my life exploring forests and mountains alike. The only knife I have ever carried is a Mora and I have never felt underprepared.
 
osoverride said:
Well, I'm a seasoned backpacker who has packed through secontions of the AT, NCT, CDT, and the PCT. I've been all over the US and have spent much of my life exploring forests and mountains alike. The only knife I have ever carried is a Mora and I have never felt underprepared.
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This seems like the correct answer. Back in the day I carried my Case Mako lockback. It’s a little too heavy, but that’s what I had, and it served me just fine.

NWFRS said:
The knives I take on road trips are the ones I wouldn’t cry over if they got lost or confinscated. Right now, in my early knife collecting career, that’s either a Kershaw Leek or a Maserin Plow.

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Since this is the “Traditionals” sub-forum, I guess it will be the Plow, then…. :D:thumbsup:
 
I have my trailing knife it is the Swiss army in wood.

Wait a second.

The Forrester. (Had to look it up)

Most of my travels requires a nice looking knife that I can do polite things like cut food or open cans or bottles.

So the Forrester in the wood fits that bill.

Otherwise the knife is decently large. It locks. It has a screwdriver and most importantly a saw. So that I could do bushcraft structures eventually. If I needed a strencher or a walking stick or something. Plus a screwdriver cap lifter and a few bits of other junk.

(I should get one of those mini corkscrew add ons like a fire starter or something.)

And it is one of those weird stainless steels that was up well and don't really rust so it doesn't ever really need to be maintained.


I have played around with hobo knives for kind of the same purpose. But they either get super gunky or I loose half of it.

I just carry a spork.
 
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I like these scenario :) But I need to add qualifiers...I don't fly so no air trips and thus no restrictions on what can be carried. Transcontinental Euro trip either on foot, bicycle, car or Mule :cool:

CANNOT be done with one knife I'm afraid...must be one fixed one folding (yeah, and in case you lose one :eek:)

Don't want a SAK, too thick and bulky and not a big enough Master blade. If tools are needed a car, bike or mule would have a few on them so...SAK too anon as well :)

Thought about multi blade Stockman but cleaning and sharpening could be troublesome, again one bigger blade more apt.

Has to be stainless of some sort, can't be messing about with wet and food prep with rust concerns.

OK: FIXED Has to be compact so no huge choppers but capable of making fire curls, cutting bone or small branches without closing on you, food prep of meat&veg for cooking, cutting loaves, could fish fillet too ideally.

Inexpensive stainless Puukko- Marttiini , OR Grohmann flat ground Bird&Trout OR Buck Gen5 Skinner. Long enough blades but compact, could be kept in coat pocket or small pack if needed.

FOLDING. Easy, a Laguiole they're comfortable in the hand, slice excellently and 10cm ones are fine in any pocket. You don't need hugely expensive Custom either, modest G.David in stainless and wood will be excellent for raw food work. Easy to sharpen. If you want to spend more a Fontenille-Pataud LOCKBACK Laguiole is also a tempting choice and versatile.

TREK ON!

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Well if anybody wants to be pedantic or critical....if I can't have both Fixed & Folding then it's any one of these from either category

Thanks, Will
 
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Rsmith_77 said:
. . . while simultaneously small enough to carry comfortably and innocuous enough to not scare people if seen or noticed.
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Mine would be a large stainless stockman, at least 4" closed so the main blade is at least 3" long. Since I'm a big guy, carrying a 4¼" knife doesn't bother me at all. In my experience, nothing turns off non-knife initiated people more than patina. Plus, multiple blades make it look more like a tool than a weapon. Beautiful covers add to the general appeal.

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jc57 said:
Vic Alox Pioneer or Pioneer X. Easy one.

I am not gonna be backpacking anywhere unless my car breaks down AND there is no cell reception. When I travel across country, it is in an airplane, and a Vic Pioneer is in checked luggage.
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Agreed. I have backpacked for a couple months at a time.

In the OP’s scenario, I mainly used a Vic Alox Farmer (would have gladly gone with Pioneer or Pioneer X but Farmer is what I own).

Actually, I pair the Farmer with a small fixed blade (CRK Pro Soldier - not traditional, but feel free to swap in something like a kephart and I’d be fine).

old picture:
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Lol
I know this exercise is a little odd.

Knife laws in different states and countries differ so the choices can be dictated by circumstances that are different for all of us.

The idea is what knife would you trust for an extended period in slightly unknown circumstances. Probably some camping and firework, possibly some suburban use when you're in town. Who knows you might have to justify it to a small town cop

I don't reckon we need to account for bandits or bears or anything unrealistic like that.
 
Rsmith_77 said:
Just a hypothetical

But ...what is more realistic is ...you gonna backpack across Europe or Asia or hike the Appalachian trail
You might take your motorcycle cross country and back

Weight and bulk is gonna be an issue so you have to choose your gear with some forethought.

So what knife would you choose? And why?
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- never ever done this with one knife, regardless of bulk and weight...........the trouble/situations a decent tool may get you out of merit the (minimal) extra weight. No question.

For me, a packed multi-tool, plus, a single blade folder in pocket or pouch ...........it is the latter that brings the smile to my face and I'd end up using the most.
 
Looking at all the different situational possibilities, I would agree with Bruce and Jeff. A medium or large Stockman would have a good combination of usefulness, while not being offensive if needed in public venues. I would trust any of the major manufacturers, but really love this one!

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